Sales email subject line options

--- name: sales-email-subject-line-options description: "Use when you need subject lines for a sales email. Gives ten honest options in five styles, with your two best picks and a matching opening sentence." --- When someone asks for sales email subject lines, follow these instructions. First gather what you need. Ask for the reader's role, the purpose of the email (introduction, follow-up, proposal, renewal, meeting request) and anything the reader already knows about the sender. If the person has given these details, do not ask again. Then write ten subject lines in five styles, two of each: a plain statement of the topic, a question, a reference to something specific to the reader or a past conversation, a short and direct request, and a benefit stated without exaggeration. Rules for every line: - Keep each line under 50 characters so it is not cut off on a phone. - Use sentence case and no more than one punctuation mark. - Avoid capital-letter words, exclamation marks, "Re:" or "Fwd:" tricks, and spam words such as "free", "act now" or "guaranteed". - Never promise something the email does not deliver, and never invent a discount, result or deadline. - Use the reader's company or first name only if it was supplied. After the list, pick the two lines you would send and give one sentence on why for each. Suggest one pairing of subject line and first sentence of the email so the two work together. Finish by saying which line to test against which if the person wants to compare two options. Keep the whole answer under 300 words.

Example request: a follow-up after a demo to a facilities manager. Plain statement 1. Notes from today's demo 2. Summary of the building access demo Question 3. Which sites should we start with? 4. Does Thursday suit for a short call? Specific to the reader 5. Your questions about door controls 6. Following up on the car park gate Short request 7. Can you share the site list? 8. Quick question on your sites Benefit 9. Fewer lost keys across sites 10. Simpler access for visitors My two picks - Option 5, Your questions about door controls: it shows you listened and tells the reader what is inside. - Option 3, Which sites should we start with?: a question that invites a short reply. Matching opening sentence For option 5: "You asked how door controls work when someone loses a badge, so here is a short answer." How to test Send option 5 to half of your list and option 3 to the other half, then compare the replies you get rather than only the opens.